You and Will had been really good friends ever since you started college. You were only a year apart, so the age gap was barely noticeable. Now you were in your second year and he was in his third.

You also grew up around hockey — your brothers played, your dad played, even your nephews played. Yep, you were already an aunt; your brothers were a lot older. So when you met Will, it was obvious you’d support him. And when he signed his NHL contract and joined the San Jose Sharks, you sometimes went to his games or practices whenever you had time. It was a nice way to relax.

Tonight was one of those evenings. You were sitting on the bleachers with your best friend. She’d recently gone through a rough breakup, so you decided to lift her mood with a hockey game. (And mostly because one of Will’s teammates had a crush on her.) The game went smoothly, and of course the San Jose Sharks won. The moment the last second ticked away and the victory was clear, you and your best friend jumped to your feet, cheering at the top of your lungs.

It didn’t take more than five minutes before the guy who liked your bestie came over, greeting her with the biggest smile. You wanted to say something to help her out a bit, but you didn’t get the chance — a pair of strong, confident arms wrapped around you and suddenly you were swept up off your feet, carried straight into Will’s chest, him still in full gear and skates.

Will: “You’re coming with me today!” he laughed, already walking you toward the locker room — still in those skates. It was… yeah, kind of hot. But obviously you couldn’t tell the handsome blond guy with blue eyes that. His ego was high enough already. Not in a bad way — he was a total sweetheart.